Ever After: Blood Beard part 2
by Mystical Raven
Summary: Blood Beard Part 2, force to marry the Emperor Lord, ruling a war torn country and worse of all, unbeknownst to her someone has already tried to poison her. Determine to help her new kingdom, while fighting her feelings for her Soulmate. A Bloody fairy tale with an Asian Twist
1. Chapter 1

**Flashback**

_"People say Nure-onnas are born from the despair and hatred when a woman is threw into the sea as a sacrifice. The gods answer her pleads and transform her into a monster so she can take her revenge on the men who threw her overboard. Maybe__ they were monsters in the first place, created from the gods, maybe we were spirits that took form when we came from the Spirit realm. I don't know which part is true, if I had a former life...I don't remember it. All I remember was seeing sea and the moon...with a figure above me that dissolve, a figure of red."_

_Life as I knew it, begin...in the sea, 600 or 700 years ago._

Brianna or Hirono opened her eyes. A webbed hand reached through the bubble, not able to pop it at the first try but another attempt and the bubble popped. An outrageous long smake tail stretch out of just 3 meters. Her hands were webbed with sharp claws and her ears were webbed as well, she could hear the moans, cries and wails of the sea. The movement of the animals, yokai and dragons that were near by, in fact a whale glided over her and she looked up baffled by the sight, such a large creature that swam through with such grace.

At first she was terrified by the size, but something in her told her not to be scared of it and this large beast didn't seem to take no notice of her.

"_I rode on its back. The Back of what I would later find out was a whale." Brianna continued her tale. Her fingers glided over her koto._

"_A whale?"_

_"There these gigantic fish that breathes air and eat fish. They're gentle, lovely like a giant that swim with the grace of a crane that soars through the sky."_

She slithering after it, she was able to get close enough to see her reflection in its large black eye. It gave out a large moan that echoed, she touched its skin. It wasn't like her scaly skin, it was smooth. Her skin was pure white as the moon, a very unique trait among the Nure-Onnas, it contrast and made her stood out among the inky blackness that was the sea at night. She followed it upwards to the surface and watched in confusion as it sprayed water.

She brought through the surface for the first time and saw the night sky. The stars sprinkled like a river of stones She reached up wanting to touch it but she just couldn't touch it.

_"Then I heard something. I heard singing from a boat."_

_"Singing?"_

_"I was curious, back then I didn't know it was a boat. I thought it was another whale that sung differently."_

She swam towards the large 'whale'. The surface was smooth, it was weird to her and her hand could stick to the surface of it. The Singing was up there. She climbed up the surface without thinking it and looked underneath a beam. She gasped as she saw these strange creatures dancing on the 'creature' and singing while some were throwing a net into the back ocean water and some were pulling it up, bring fish that she saw swimming up on board, orbs of light were flyin around them, lighting up the whole deck.

**I don't own this song, it's called Bink's brew**

**Bid farewell to weaver's town!**  
**Say so long to port renowned!**  
**Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're casting off!**  
**Cross the gold and silver seas**  
**The salty spray puts us at ease!**  
**Day and night to our delight,**  
**The voyage never ends!**

**Gather up all of the crew!**  
**It's time to ship out Bink's brew!**  
**Pirates we, eternally are challenging the sea!**  
**With the waves to rest our heads,**  
**ship beneath us as our beds!**  
**Hoisted high upon the mast our Jolly Roger flies!**  
**Somewhere in the endless sky,**  
**Stormy winds are blowin' by!**  
**Waves are dancing, evening comes,**  
**It's time to sound the drums!**  
**But steady men may never fear!**  
**Tomorrow's skies are always clear!**  
**So pound your feet and clap your hands till sunny days return!**

They were pulling the fish out of the nets and clubbing them. One of the clubd fish slid towards her, she grabbed it and bit into it. She ate it whole, licking her tongue as it tasted good. She leaned closer to the ship as one of the men were close by, clubbing and grabbing fish, it was a smaller one compare to the other men. A child.

**Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho,**  
**Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho,**  
**Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho,**  
**Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho,**

An old man was singing this part, patting the smaller boy on the back.

**Gather up all of the crew!**  
**It's time to ship out Bink's brew!**  
**Wave good-bye, but don't you cry**  
**Our memories remain.**  
**Our days are but a passing dream, everlasting though they seem**  
**'neath the moon we'll meet again, the wind's our lullaby!**

The rest of the men were singing and she couldn't help but smile. One more clubbed fish slid to her and she grabbed it.

**Gather up all of the crew!  
It's time to ship out Bink's brew!  
Sing a song and play along  
For all the ocean's wide!  
After all is said and done,  
you'll end up a skeleton!  
So spread your tale, from dawn till dusk, upon these boney seas!  
Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho,  
Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho,  
Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho,  
Yo-hohoho, Yo-hoho-ho.**

She let go and fell into the sea holding her fish. She watched underwater as the large creature sailed away. She bit into the fish, devouring it. She heard a very familiar cry and went to the whale.

Few hours later

The sea started to turn light, changing to a wonderful light clear blue aw the sun started to rise. She had fallen asleep on its back, listening to the wonderful song it was making as it communicated with other whales. She opened as it rose to the surface, as its due many times for air, sprouting through its snout. She felt the warmth, it submerge back underneath and that was when she got off. She watched as the titan continued to swim and singing.

_"It was breath taking. I swam up to the surface and was taken back by the beauty of the sky. It almost matched the sea. _

She was back under water, her instincts were guiding her as she smelled many things. The fish blood from the sharks as they were in a feeding frenzy was enough to entice her but then...She suddenly heard screaming and...she smelled something sweet...something tasty. The Sharks seem to smell the same thing, but they only swam the opposite direction, but she followed the scent.

Her arms stretched out and her tall moved on its own, slithering through the water. Her gills opened up, letting the salty water go through so she could breathe but her nose...smelled something and her mind and body followed.

Her stomach rumbled loudly enough.

"Something to eat...Something to eat.." Her mind mumbled and her speed increased. She continued to swim even as some of the other animals were swimming away or into deeper water. She saw something large in the distance that I could barely make out. She was so focused on the thought of food that she didn't notice that the clear light blue ocean was turning to a hazy, dark blue as if it was night time.

As she swam closer to notice...

_"Something large..._ _pitch black against the dark blue night sea_." She said in a creepy tone.

She was alarmed by seeing something so large, a figure that was seem to stretch to the Ocean's deep...A giant in the sea...but that's where the smell of coming and her hunger got the better of caution. She broke through the surface and a storm was raging.

_"A storm!" Blossom shouted, she was eating some rice, her hands were shaking as she was holding her chopsticks and trying to eat. She gave the puppy some and enjoyed it as it licked it from her hand. She sighed, enjoying the story being told from Brianna's soft voice and the music being played on the koto, perfect harmony._

_"Yes...from a umi bōzu."_

_"Umi Bozu?"_

_"Yes...it's a giant ghost yokai, the biggest in the entire ocean. They are the ghost of monks and priests who were threw in the ocean, so much rage in their deaths that they transform. Their rage so terrible that it effects nature itself. They're sudden, their wraths rips the sea and there's a horrible storm. Of course I didn't know that at the time, I was just hungry, plus yokais don't often fight, so there was no danger of that."_

_"What happened next?"_

_"I ducked under water as that seem the only way to get through the monstrous waves but as I got closer, it was a giant. I could hear the cries of men, who prays fell on deaths ears. I came back to the surface, clinging to a piece of wood from the ship and watched as the ghost tried to sink their ship. Its shoulder and head was the only thing you could see above the waves. Thunder and lighting erupted through the sky, that was the only time I could see its face. Its eyes would flash bright yellow with each lighting strike but other than that, it was like bottomless pits, a bald head like a monk's. The ship's crew rocked back and forth as the waves got larger and more violent that they could capsize any moment. A old man offered it a bottomless barrel, for that was the only way to escape its wrath. The ghost likes to scoop water onto the ship, but if it's not given a barrel, it will smash the ship to pieces."_

She watched indifferent to the men's screams and pleads, watched the creature ripped a hole into the hull with one of its tentacle arm, men continued to fall into the ocean. Some were able to stay afloat but others were taken, but a somewhat similar creature.

She continued to watch with indifference as one man was bitten on the neck by this creature. It had webbed ears and hands like hers, even scaly skin like hers but it was a greenish sea moss colored. It's sharp teeth chomped on the man's neck and pulled him under, drowning him. She went under water, watching this creature drowning the man, seeing the blood pouring into the ocean. There were two more but they didn't bother her. They were going after the men that were struggling in the ocean.

_"What were they? Why didn't you help them?" Blossom asked. They were now in the Bath House. She had hot water poured over her head and the puppy dog, letting out a loud whimper._

_"I really didn't know. You must remember Lady Empress, I was just created and I was a yokai and a hungry one. I felt nothing for the men. Maybe...I did a little but I assume it was hunger. I'm sorry if your opinion of me has lessened." She spoke softly. She placed the bowl down, she down on the ground. She poured almond oil on her hair and brushed it._

_"No...never. I'm sorry but...I know you would've saved them now." She finished scrubbing her arms and the puppy. They both went into the hot spring. The puppy whimpered and tried to get out of the water but she continued to wash him._

_"Naturally but I did do something that would make you proud."_

_"Really...But w__hat was taking them?" She placed the pup to the side and watch it in delight as he shake every where, even his little tiny paws._

_"Umi nyōbō. Of course I didn't know that at the time. They are ferocious, strong predators of the sea that kill and eat humans for the pleasure of it, not survival. One was even holding a dagger, slitting a man's throat and I was hungrier than ever for that sweet taste. Umi Nyobo always come when a Umi Bozu attacks which is more horrible."_

That was the sweet smell that made her hungry. On impulse, her snake like tongue slithered out and wiggled to taste the blood that flowed in the water but it wasn't enough.

Then suddenly, it was gone. The Umi Bozu disappeared and the storm dissolve, leaving nothing but a clear sky. A wreck ship was all that was left, bodies of drowned sailors and dead fish littered the surface. Sharks smelled the same thing and with the ghost and storm gone, they came to feast. That was the day, she tasted her first human.

A middle age sailor who drowned from the wrath of the ghost. Her teeth tore out a piece of his arm and she feast when she saw the little boy, lingering on what's left of the ship a large piece of wreckage, crying. At first, She paid no notice of him and she just turned her back and continue eating. Her serpent tongue hung out of her mouth and towards the ripped off arm, draining his blood.

"Grandpa...Grandpa, where are you?" The little boy cried, he gasped as he saw her, eating one of the crew.

He whimpered as he saw the webbed ears and teeth, holding up a knife and waving at her, "Please...please don't hurt me."

She tilted her head, this was the same little boy she saw, singing turned around baffled by the sound he was making now.

The Little boy whimpered, terrified that he wet himself as she looked closely at him with those snake like eyes.

"Please...*sniff* stay back." He cried.

She struggled as she opened her mouth, "Gather...u-up a-ll t-t-the crew. It's t-t-time to ship out Bink's brew." She struggle with the words.

He lowered his dagger a little and looked at her puzzled, only fishermen and sailors knew this song.

He gulped, still scared, his hand shaking, "Where's my grandpa?"

"W-Wave good-bye, but don't you cry. Our memories remain." She continued to sing, not having such a hard time anymore. She swam away for a minute, grabbing a dead fish and placing it on the wreckage in front of the boy along with something else, a cray bowl that was floating.

The boy cried harder his grandpa was probably dead as the rest of the ship was sinking and nothing bodies were sinking underneath the waves. His grandpa knew how to swim, he only made it because he was placed into a barrel by his grandpa, the barrel broke and he was able to make it on a piece of plank thanks to a crew member before he was killed by an Umi Nyobo. He was alone.

"I wanna go home." He cried harder than ever.

When suddenly the piece of wood shifted. An Umi Nyobo's hand spat on the wood piece.

"No...Leave me alone!" He swung his knife at it as it started to crawl onto the plank with this toothy grin on its face. It was wearing a green soaking wet kimono as it climbed up revealing its webbed feet and scaly legs.

"GRANDPA! GRANDPA! HELP!" He cried out, swinging his dagger at the creature but it just swiped its claw and slapped the dagger away. The old man winced in paw at his bloody hand, "No! Please!" He closed his eyes, ready for the deadly blow. A few seconds passed and he opened his eyes. A tail was wrapping around it and squeezing the creature tightly. The umi nyobo bit and scratched wildly, it was strong but not stronger than a driven Nure Onna. She slammed it into the water, grabbing the wreckage, started swimming fast.

The boy held on for dear life as they swam through a large wave. He coughed several times as he was gasping for air but she continued to swam fast until she was sure they were far away. She stopped to catch her breath.

"You saved me..." He cried, "Thank you, mermaid."

"Gather up." She said as she continued to swim, holdng up on to the wreckage.

**End of flashback**

"You saved him!" Blossom squealed in delight.

Brianna's head leaned back in the water, her head turned back to look at her, "Of course... liked the singing and...those tears sounded like the whales singing. It made me sad and something compelled me to help."

"It's sad that he lost his grandpa though, what happened?"

Brianna's tail turned back to legs and she stood up, "It took a day to get him back. They didn't sail too far which was great but luckily for him, there was some light rain. The bowl I gave him was big enough to hold water in it for a few hours." Brianna smiled to herself.

"So what happened next?"

"He made it home...gave me the bowl..and started the mermaid legend."

"That's incredible."

"Yes..."Brianna said as they were walking down the hallway, "I lived a long time...sometimes it's easy to forget or for memories to blur together, I've kept that bow and a few keepsakes so that even as time passes, my memory remained fresh and of course that song is still one of my favorites."

"What happened next."

"I believe that is enough for now Lady Empress. You should get back into bed."

"But what happened next. Cmon."

"It's time to rest." She answered as Blossom sat on the futon. The puppy ran behind them and sat on the futon.

"Do I really have to go to sleep. I'm not tired. Perhaps I can help-"

"Lady Empress." Brianna sighed, "You must take it easy."

"Ugh...but I'm fine..."Blossom looked down at her futon, "Brianna, while I was sick...did my Papa come to visit me?"

Brianna shook her head.

"Well, maybe it's for the best, I wouldn't want him to worry."

"Lady Empress, I shall return and if you're out of this bed. I will be cross." Brianna walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Bubbles sighed as she left Kasey's room.

"We must send word to the Emperor Lord that his wife is ok."


	2. Pinch

_A Vase was threw from across the room, slamming against the wall, it shattered and fell to the stone floor in pieces. Underneath where it was threw was a little boy with dark ginger hair that was curl there, covering his head with his bruised and cut hands._

_"Mommy." He whimpered underneath his breath at the figure that was breathing heavily across him, she grabbed a silver plate and threw that as well. _

_"Monstrous Child, how dare you look at me like that!" She roared, she was breathing raggedly and her eyes were wide as if she was looking at something unworldly, "That was his look...that's how he looked at me! THAT SAME EXPRESSION! YOU'RE HIS CHILD!"_

_He shielded himself as a cup was threw next, hitting him on the forehead, before a servant finally made it to the dining room, then another and another. She raged and screamed as they grabbed her._

_A maid rushed to his side, holding the crying boy._

_"It's ok, Young Lord. Shhhhhhh." She held him as he continued to cry, the servants took her away, leaving him alone with the maid._

_"Ow. Mommy gone...the bad lady came back..." He cried, his cheek was bruised and the corner of his lip was bleeding._

_The maid was horrified, but there was nothing she could do but hold the sobbing boy, she got a cold rag and placed it on his cheek. He looked up at the maid, her eyes changed colors to pink._

_"Don't worry, I'm here for you." The kind maid's voice changed to a very familiar soft voice._

Brick's eyes shot open, he grumbled, waking underneath his thick futon. He sat himself up, His body felt so heavy and his eyes were unwilling to open. Last night, there was pure chaos in the Samurai's headquaters. Another one had passed away, five more were pretty ill and throwing up everyone.

_"Not to mention a damn poisoner among them." _He grumbled to himself, frustrated with the mess his Uncle left him, and who he left him in charge of, "_I wonder if she's gotten better_. I_ haven't had the chance to ask. I'm sure that...Brianna would have said something. I'll _ He didn't even have time to ask about Blossom.

His head was beating quickly, finally able to move his arm to rubbed his eyes.

"Damn dreams..."He mumbled.

His eyes cracked opened, glancing to the side, he glanced over to see a pair of red eyes directly into his.

This use to scare him when he was young, or maybe it still did, but it annoyed him more than ever.

_"You got passed the barrier? That's fine...but it won't work, I'm more pissed than afraid__." _He said to himself, he was in no mood. He continued to look into those blood red eyes, "I never did a damn thing wrong except being born into this mess." He said to the shadow.

He suddenly heard loud laughter, a scream, and puppy yelps causing him to snap out of the glare. The shadow dissolved as he jumped up, opened the screen window, greeted by the bright warm sun that was shining through holes of the dark, snow heavy clouds. All he could see was the warm color of ginger yellowish orange that was running in the snow with laughter with a girl with brown hair, he looked down at the bright smile and the pure joy as the figures spun around. A smile slowly crept up on his face.

He snapped out of it when a sudden burst of cold air blew, reminding him of how cold it was.

"Damn her!" He snapped, closing the window, his room was warm. Lady looked up as he was putting some of the traditional Kyotoron clothes with a white shirt underneath, long thick dark red robe top, with a black Hakama, thick socks. The Spirits must have laid out for him with a heavier linen coat with soft fur sewn on the edges. He rushed down the hall with Lady and his Lantern following him.

"Damn her, she should be in bed." He stomped as he made his way to the large front door. He grumbled as he saw Butch just watching, "What are you doing? Why are you just watching?"

Butch had his usual uninterested emotionless face even with an angry Brick scowling at him, he yawned, "Well, Auntie wouldn't listen, there's nothing like a Kyotoron Winter, white all this lovely snow and serene quiet as the Earth sleeps...makes one want to paint...or drink...or both."

"That doesn't answer my-"

Blossom suddenly stop spinning Kasey around as she heard a voice, "Brick...Oh Brick, it's you...I thought I was dreaming." Blossom was breathing heavily as she walked hurriedly towards them, "Isn't it beautiful? Snow? Asheia has snow too but it's so different here like..."

He was ready to snap at her but he was taken back, She was wearing only her white kimono sleeping robes, thick socks and getas, her hair was down again, hanging down to her back. It took him back to where she was in the snow just the other night.

**Her robe draped down her shoulders, her skin and hair shining underneath the bright moon like a Goddess**.

"Ah... Laxus." Butch waved in front of his face.

"Is he ok? Brick?" Blossom waved in his face, he finally was able to snap out of it with a full deep red blush.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING OUTSIDE!" He yelled at the top of his lungs but he was still blushing.

"WHO ARE YOU YELLING AT?" Blossom snapped back, her hair color changed to a fiery dark red color, "I SAID I WANTED TO SEE THE SNOW!"

"YOU ARE SICK! GET YOUR ASS BACK INSIDE BEFORE YOU GET SICKER!"

"I'M NOT SICK ANYMORE! I DON'T WANNA STAY INSIDE! I'M BORED AND TIRED OF RESTING!" She screamed back, she pouted, puffing up her cheeks.

"I tried to tell her about the palace being in chaos right now." Butch yawned, seeming bored with all this dribble already.

"I know Bubbles told me." Blossom had a deeply concerned look, "But now that I'm better, I can help-"

"NO!" Brick snapped echoed through the lonely white side garden as snow was starting to fall, "You're not allowed."

Blossom's hair turned to a deep blood red, her face turned red and she pouted, puffing her cheeks back up.

Kasey had a worried look on her face, "Uh oh."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M NOT ALLOWED! THOSE ARE MY SAMURAI FRIENDS! I'M LADY EMPRESS!"

Brick roared back, "THIS ISN'T NEGOTIABLE! YOU'RE GOING BACK IN YOUR DAMN ROOM AND REST! UNCLE LEFT ME IN CHARGE!"

Her arms were flaying around, "NO. I'M FINE! I CAN'T STAY IN BED WHILE MY FRIENDS ARE SUFFERING! THE LORD EMPEROR SAID I WAS HIS HEIR! I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT!"

Kuro and Butch were watching with such interest, Butch was beyond intrigue as he was sure that Blossom was just this delicate flower that would do what she was told.

_"She's actually standing her ground. So Auntie Blossom is a firebrand like Bricky boy. This could be fun."_

Brick, full in rage of Blossom's stubbornness, suddenly grabbed her cheeks and started to pinch and pull them hard, she started to cry out, "Owwww Owow Stop!"

Kuro was floating above laughing, Kasey winced at the pain she could see.

"You dare have the nerve to argue with me with the shit I had to put up with these last two days and nights." He growl his words.

"Stop! OW! OW! I'm sorry! OW!" She cried out, starting to tear up from the pain. He would have stopped but her cheeks were...

_"So soft."_

"What is going on here?" Buttercup asked, Butch suddenly had hearts floating above his head.

"Tiger cub." Butch had a half excited look and his wolf ears perked up.

"Back off, "She snapped at him, backing up.

"What's the matter, Tiger, you're usually more...aggressive. Is it because...it's winter and your magic is a little weakened." Butch reminded her again and was getting closer and she was backing up.

"Ooooohhhhhh." Kuro teased floating upside down over them, "Kaoru-chan is weak, no flowers to help her."

"Kuro! Shut up-" She squeak when Butch tried to grab her playfully, "I can still punch. Now back off."

"Of course my Love."

She went back to looking at Blossom and Brick, who was still pinching her cheeks, "Brick, let go of her."

"Not until she promises to stay in her room or away from the Samurai." He demanded.

_"I can't risk her finding out about the poisoner."_

* * *

Almost within a day, news spread throughout the kingdom and the provinces like wildfire about the Lady Empress' miraculous recover from a deadly sickness that killed five of the Lord Emperor's Samurai

In a Province, a short distance from the Palace and the Royal city of Miyazaki, the Province of **Gunma** was home to a powerful daimyo.** Grand Lord Endo** was sitting in front of his table, a female servant was pouring him so fresh pot of tea, nervously. She could feel his eyes on her as he was smoking a large pipe. He was looking down the curves of her neck, enjoyed such beautiful women. His hand suddenly rested on the servant's bottom, she closed her hand, swallowing her nerves. She bowed her head, pouring for the Lord Endo's second in command, a very trusted Minor Lord of his land named** Kurosawa who was sitting right across from him.**

"Excellent blend." Lord Endo sighed in pleasure, watching the servant leaving in quite a hurry. He chuckled and looked at the Small Lords and Ladies around his table as he continued to play.

"Don't try to distract me with excellent tea." Kurosawa joked.

Grand Lady Yashiro, Grand Lord Endo's wife, was walking down the hall of her large manor with her ladies in waiting following her over step. Minor Lords and Ladies were in the parlor of the manor talking, drinking tea or playing Mahjong and cards. Music was playing softly in the air by the servants and Wisps were floating above providing light.

She was announced as she entered into the room in her newest Kimono made of tatsuya silk, her hair was tied in tight silk ribbons and gold hair pins, seeing her husband sitting, talking and being entertained of a game of mahjong and sipping tea. Her smile dissolved as she got little attention for her beauty, dress or hair.

"Ah Lady Abiko, "Yashiro walked towards her, holding her fan, she was trying very hard to show her extravagance but Lady Abiko barely noticed as she turned to her with excitement.

"Oh Grand Lady Yashiro, did you not hear? The Lady Empress has recovered from her illness."

Yashiro sighed, irritated by the constant chatter of the Newest Lady Empress, she has heard many tales of this Lady Empress, many times different variations of the same story.

"My Lady servant told me, that she was healed by the Kirin itself."

"Lady Abiko, you simply must stop with these tales." Yashiro fan herself, frustrated with this continuous talk of the newest Lady Empress.

Another Minor Lady, who Yashiro didn't bother to learn her name, spoke, "I heard she has hair of flames that change color. How I wish I could meet her? Can you imagine, seeing such hair in the Royal Court."

"Fat chance, the Emperor Lord invites no one to his Spirit Palace." Lady Abiko said, "Perhaps Grand Mistress you can invite her?"

"Me? Invite royalty? Why would such a little girl accept an invite from us? She probably wouldn't know what to do with it." Lady Yashiro hid a smug under her fan, she sighed and continued, "Honestly I heard she was some peasant girl from foreign land, just like our Self Proclaim Emperor Lord."

"A Peasant."

"Why just, a very reliable source in fact. No wonder the low class and commoners follow her. You just wait and see, she'll probably bestow her favors among the commoners and wretches and we'll be forgotten. I wouldn't be surprise at all if she gives them land. Foreigners will just try and bring 'their' ways in here because they think its so much better."

"Oh Posh, Grand Lady, you speak such nonsense. They can't take our lands and their ways. The Emperor Lord wouldn't allow it. Foreigner he may be, but he's done well to keep our traditions and ways-"

"Except one, Emperor Lords aren't meant to rule. It's the Shogun and the daimyos, how very disagreeable and to take it from the rightful heir too." She looked at her husband, she frowned as he seemed playfully with Lady Haruku, too playful.

"My Grand Lady, it sounds as if you support Champoo." Lady Abiko frowned, "He killed our Last Emperor Lord and devastated our lands."

"Of course not...but he does have the right idea...kicking these foreigners out before they damage the 'natural' order of things."


End file.
